Transparent plastic material



Patented July 23, 1946 TRANSPARENT PLASTIC MATERiAL Bjorn Andersen, Maplewood, N. .L, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Original application January 28,

1939, Serial No. 253,251. Divided and this application February 12, 194,2, Serial No. 430,618

This invention relates to the production of transparent plastic materials of improved properties, and relates more particularly to the'production of a non-fogging type of transparent material.

,This invention is a division of the invention described in my co-pending application S. No. 253,251, filed January 28, 1939.

An object of this invention is to provide a transparent plasticmaterial which is not susceptible to fogging or sweating when exposed to moisture-laden atmosphere, or at low: temperatures conducive to moisture condensation.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a transparent plastic material suitable for use as or in packages for moisture-containing substances.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following detailed description.

In recent years certain plastic. materials have been utilized in the manufacture of cartons for foods or other moisture-containing materials. However, the plastic materials suffered from the disadvantage of fogging or sweating when moisture-containing foods or other substances were sealed up or enclosed in containers made of the plastic material or having windows thereof. To overcome in some measure the fogging orsweating that takes place, attempts have hitherto been made to utilize a thin sheet of gelatin orother moisture absorptive transparent medium on the inside of the plastic material, 1. e. between the plastic material and the moisture-containing substances. These gelatin inserts or linings suffered from a number of disadvantages. For example,-

under certain conditions, the gelatin swells, becomingsticky, wrinkled a d pu-trescent. Furthermore, the gelatin coatings when exposed. to an extremely dry warm atmosphere tend to shrink and crack and, therefore, do not afford a clear vision through the transparent container.

The inherent disadvantages of gelatin as a coating have led investigators to try other expedients to prevent the fogging or sweating. For instance, attempts have been made to use on the plastic material chemical compositions found on the market for spraying onto glass Windshields to prevent frosting, water condensation or sweat, etc. These chemical compositions were often not satisfactory for use, particularly where food came in contact therewith. Another objection is that their water-solubility resulted in the eventual removal thereof from the plastic material.

7 Where transparent plastic materials made from cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose ace- 6 Claims. (Cl. 2.29--3-.5)

tate, or other certain synthetic resins, suchas polymerized vinyl resins, polymerized acrylic acid and methacrylic acid esters, urea formaldehyde, etc. were used as or in the container, it was 5 found that these plastic materials also failed to resist fogging or sweating. This lack of resistance of a transparent plastic material to fogging or sweating was due to thefact-that such plastic materials were all made more or less Water-insoluble to minimized moisture absorption. These plastic materials could; of course, be made more porous and sponge-like and. thus absorb moisture, but there is always the danger that the. plastic material being porous would not only prevent clear visibility therethrough but would also permit air to pass therethrough which, in the case of some foods, would cause deterioration.

Inac'cordanc'e with my invention, I produce a transparent plastic material having non-fogging and non-sweating characteristics, which transparent plastic material retains its non-porous character, bytreating one or both surfaces of a derivative of cellulose sheet leaving'the inner portion orcore thereof in a'substantially unaffected condition. Such a sheet is substantially impervious to both moisture and gas and has a layer, on one or both surfaces thereof, which is water'- absorptive. The treatment comprises superficial.- ly saponifying, hydrolyzing or de-est'eri-fying sheet material comprising esters-of cellulose, such as cellulose nitrate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetopropionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose aceto-butyrate; and-'particuarly cellulose acetate. As stated above, either one orboth surfaces may :be saponified. In order to obtain sheets which are perfectly fiat and free from distortion, knife lines etc. it is preferable to heat press and polish thesheets before and after treatment with the saponifying agent. r Superficial saponification of thecellulose ester sheet material may be effected in any convenient manner such as by treatment in an alkaline bath or by padding or otherwise mechanically impregnating the sheet material with the requisite quantity of saponifying agent. 7 V

The alkaline bath used for superficially sapon ifying the cellulose ester sheet material may be either of low concentration or high concentration depending on the temperature and duration of treatment. If an alkaline solution of low con centration is used higher temperatures-may be employed in theprocess, whereas if alkaline solutions of high concentrations are employed low temperatures of treatment are used. If' a solution of intermediate concentration is employed,

NT OFFICE ed polishing plates.-

which may be used are sodium hydroxide, po-

tassium hydroxide or ammonia. Examples of alkaline salts are sodium or potassium carbonates, sodium potassium or ammonium sulphide.

or hydrosulphide, sodium or potassium silicateand I tri-sodium phosphate. In order to promote intense surfacesaponification of the cellulose -ester sheet material, salts or modifying agents such bing. The surfaces of the sheets are then dried thoroughly by Wiping with hamois and by storing the sheets at room temperature between tissue-lined falulah boards for a period of 3 to 4 hours to 3 days depending on the thickness of the sheet employed. For example, sheets of a' thickness of 0.005 to 0.010 of an inch are dried at roomtemerature for 3 to'4 hours, whereas sheets having a thickness of 0.060 of an inch are preferably dried for 24 hours at room temperature between the boards, then are transferred as soap, sodium acetate, sodium oleate thiocyanates, boraX, alcohol, glycol and polyglycol or their derivatives such as methyl glycol, etc. may

be addedto the saponifying bath.

The sheet materials usedin accordance with this invention may contain, besides the cellulose to dry pads and further dried for 24 hours at 120 F. and then 24 hours at 140 F. When the sheets are thoroughly dried they are flattened between polishing plates in a pre-heated press for 7 about minutes at 50 to 150, preferably 125, pounds of steam under from 500 to 1500, preferably 1250, pounds of hydraulic pressure per ester, effect materials for modifying the properties of said sheet materials, such as plasticizers, fillers, dyes ,or lakes, fire retardants, etc. For

instance, the sheet material may contain about 5to-30or more parts of plasticizer which may be any suitable one for the particular cellulose ester employed. The plasticizers maybe any of the high boiling solvents or softening agents as,- for example, the aryl sulphonamides such as para ethyl toluol sulphonamide, the alkyl phthalates such as dimethyl phthalate, the 'dialkyl tartrates such asdibutyl tartrate, the alkoxy esters of polybasic organic acids such as dimethoxy ethyl phthalate, the polybasic acid esters of the mono alkyl ethers of polyhydricalcohols such as diethylene glycol ethyl ether ester of phthalic acid, the alkyl esters of phosphoric acid such as triethyl glycol phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, themixed alkyl and aryl phosphates and camphor. A mixture of, any of the foregoing plasticizers may beemployed if desired. The fire retardants whichmay be employed in the cellulose ester sheet material may be tricresyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, chlorinated naphthalenes, chlorinated. diphenyls, compounds containing bromine and other like fire retardants known to be compatible, with the cellulose ester employed. The fire retardants may be added to the sheet material in a quantity of about 15 or more'parts by weight. If desired, water-soluble plasticizers and/or fire retardants may be used to some extent as, for example, to secure a greater depth of porosity. While any of the foregoing saponif ying agents may be used in making the sheet material of my invention, I prefer to use an aqueous solution of ammonia. In the preferred process of treating the cellulose acetate sheet material the sheets which may vary in thickness from about 0.001 to 0.100 of an inch or more are first cleaned and square inch. This removes any surface irregularities, distortions, knife lines, etac. The polished sheets are then ready for use.

Aswill appear from the following tables, the cellulose ester sheets treated in accordance with this invention have physical characteristics which are quite different from those of the untreated sheet.

The chemical formula of the sheets tested is cellulose aceate 100 parts by weight and dim'ethoxy ethyl phthalate (plasticizer) 30 parts by Weight. This composition is, however, only illustrative.

then polished in the usual manner between heat- These sheets are then immersed for a period of from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the thickness, in a saponifying bath containing ammonia in a concentration of about 15 to 20%, at a temperature between to 75 F., preferably F. If the temperature exceeds '75" F.- an undesirable distortion of the sheet materialmay take place. After the sheets are taken from the bath they are washed in running Water at a temperature of 60 to F., preferably 65 F., for from 20 to 300 hours depending upon the thickness of the sheet being treated.- In order to. prevent discoloration of thesheet. material it is preferable to exclude air from the sheets until all of the ammonia and degraded KQQQCWPW? een removed by 5 .35 1 9 .5339:

1 (A) Untreated sheet,

Thickness V (thousandth; of

inch) *5 10 20 Fog resistance (in seconds) 2 2 V 2 Tensile strength, in pounds persq.in.: A. Yield p0int 6160 "4825 52 0 B. Break point 7730;- 6150 5860 Elongation (percentage) 38.7 35.5 32.1 Hardness 6.66 6.34 6.74 Moistureabsorption; 3.94 4.05 4.50

y *(B) Treated; sheet non-f0.997mg) Thickness (thousandths. "of inch) "5 10 20- Fog resistance (in seconds) 120 Tensile strength, in pounds ,I A. Yield point 9850' 8850 7300- B. Break point -i 9850 8850 7560 Elongation (percentage) 10.2 20.6 '30 Hardness 10.6 10.6 "9.13 Moistur absorption 8.83 "7.73 5.96 Water shrinkage (percentage) 074' .125 i209 Heat 1055 4..' I .329 .258 .211

ing is fog resistant for. t less t go q usually from 90 to seconds, whereasuntreated, plastic h et n a d glass l Q --.tw .e qe

.le s-1Thafi urst ri hardness ae-ea sa as Brinell hardness in kilograms per squaremil limeter with a 3.5 millimeter ball; lil kilogram load, 1 minute; The 'moistur'e absorption figures were obtained by conditioning the sheet material for 24 hours at'zeropercentage relative-humid ity, and noting the gain in weightafter 48hours at 90% relative humidity. To obtain the figures for water shrinkage, the sheet material was first conditionedfor 24 hours at 50% relativehumid ity. The sheet material was then immersed'in water for? hours'and then conditioned again for 24 hours at 50% relative humidity. The figures' given in the tables represent the percentage shrinkage in length. The figures for heat loss represent the percentage of lossin weight after heating thesheet material'for 3 days at 70 C.

From the above tables itwill beseen that the treated sheet material of plasticized cellulose acetate is remarkably stronger than the untreated plasticized cellulose acetate although the percentage of elongation is less. The latter, however, increases with the thickness of the sheet material whereas in the untreated plasticizedcellulose acetate sheet material it decreases as the thickness increases. The treated material is moreover-decidedly harder and more scratch-resisting than the untreated sheet material. This is probably due to the case hardening efiect of the sapohifying treatment and the absence on the surface of any substance such as a plasticizer. Indeed, cel lulose acetate sheets treated in this manner appear to approximate the good mechanical properties of the well known product, Celluloid, such as resiliency and stiffness Without brittleness, which are somuch desired in the plastics industry. The light transmission of the treated'sheet material is over 90% of white light which is practically unalfected by long exposure to sun or ultra violet light. For example, one hundred hours ex posure in a standard Fadeometer testing machine caused only a slight bleaching of color with no apparent efiect on light transmission.

The tables also show that the moisture absorption is very high in the treated plasticized cellulose acetate sheet material a compared with the untreated plasticized cellulose acetate sheet material, while the water shrinkage is less. A marked difference will also be noted in the Weight loss at elevated temperatures, the untreated plasticized cellulose acetate sheet material losing appreciably after 3 days at 70 C. The case-hardening saponified layer in the treated sheet material acts as a seal and prevents further volatility of the plasticizer from the core of the sheet material. This is a very significant finding. Its benefits are appreciated in the case of printing cellulose acetate sheets and subsequently polishing same. The diificultie of ink transfer as brought out in U. S. Patent No. 1,931,485 are considerably diminished. Due to the porous surface the ink is more readily absorbed. In polishing the sheet any tendency of the plasticizer to exude is offset by this superficial absorption. Indeed, the treated sheets may be readily marked with ordinary ink and pen, and for this reason are very suitable for tracing cloth purposes. This ease of printing is utilized to advantage in marking or printing the non-fogging material, particularly when it is used for packaging purposes.

The saponified, porous surface also renders possible an easier lamination of the material to glass with cements such as gelatin, etc. The exudation of plasticizer on the surface of the sheet forming an oily skin interfering with proper adhesion to the glass or gelatin coating is apprerial aid when it is desired to make antifog'ging,

shatterproof glass lenses, Windshields, et'c'.,;wliere one or both sides of-theglassh'a's'atreated sheet of cellulose'es'ter laminated thereto. "The'tough ness and resiliency of the treated plastic sheeting, compared with an untreated sheet, make for added safety.

If desired, a roll of cellulose acetate film may have one or both sides saponified or de-esterified suflicieritly so that a thin coating or substratum of gelatin may be effectively applied; After the film is thus subbed say in continuous lengths, a thicker adhesive layer of glue, gelatin,' gum arable, casein, sodium silicate, egg albumin, dextrin, glyceryl or glycolbo'ri-borate resins, etc, may be subsequently appliedso" that the final, dried coated film or sheeting may bestuck to a variety of surfaces-such as glass, wood, metal,

paper, etc, by the-mere application'of water as in the'sticking of a postage stamp. In thepast it has been quite difficult to apply gelatin coatings, even though extremely thin, directly to plasticized cellulose acetate materials, for example, in motion picture and X-ray film, where a heavier coating of light sensitive gelatin emulsions is usually applied over the thingelatin substratum. This difliculty in securing proper anchorage of the gelatin to the surface of the film is generally attributed to the incompatibility of the oily, Water-insoluble or hydrophobic plasticizer in or on the film with a hydrophilic colloid such as gelatin. The saponification of the cellulose ester and plasticizer results in a porous, water absorptive layer making possible more efiective gelatin substrating. Ordinary glued paper labels may also be readily stuck to the surface of the nonfogging sheet by mere application of moisture. This feature is also quite desirable for packaging material.

While this invention thus finds exceedingly useful applications in many fields, the physical properties of the sheet material treated in accordance with this invention makes the same eminently suitable for use where non-fogging, transparent sheet material is desired. For example, when sheet material of this invention is used as containers or as windows in food cartons, the said material will not fog or sweat due to the condensation moisture thereon, such as may be induced by exposure to low outside temperatures or by conditions obtaining within the food carton. This feature, as indicated above, is due to the porous and moisture absorptive character of the surface of the sheet material. No droplets of the moisture (fog) Will appear on the surface of the sheet to mar the transparency thereof. Moreover, the treated material will not Wrinkle or become sticky and distorted in use due to shrinkage or swelling, but will remain strong, flexible, non-tacky, non-moldy, clear and durable. Treated material will also exhibit less static than untreated material which is highly desirable in the case of packaging material. The treated surface is also more resistant to spotting by solvents such as acetone, alcohol, etc.

If desired, the treated sheets or films may be suitably composited or laminated to one or both sides of other plastic materials, such as those made of cellulose derivatives, synthetic resins such as Vinyloid, Lucite, Styrol, condensation produts of urea-formaldehyde, phenol-formaldehyde, glycerol-phthalic anhydride, etc.

While this invention has been described primarily with reference to the treatment of sheets,

'7 itis obvious that the cellulose es er; material being treated may be in any otherioim suchas a'molded article of irregular shape and thickness. For example, threaded lens tops forfl ashlights are generally made by the so-called injection Jmolding of cellulose acetate. 'Such a finished molded article may be subjected to a .saponification treatment to render the lens nono s r n V It is to be understood, therefore, that the foregoing detailed description is givenrmerely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing ,from the spirit of my invention. i

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:, I r p l. A container for holding food and other prod ucts yielding moisture tending to condense within the container, comprising substantially impervious transparent sheet material containing an ester of cellulose; 'said sheet material being saponified so that at least its inner or unexposed surface is capable of absorbing moisture and said 3. A container for holding food and other products yielding moisture tending to condense Within the container, said container having a window comprising transparent sheet material BEST AVAILABLE copr S containing an ester of cellulose, said sheet ma terial being saponified so that at least its inner or unexposed surfaceis; capable of absorbing moisture and the sheet material'as a whole being resistant tothe penetration of water and gases. 4. A container for holding food and other products yielding moi'sturetending to condense Within the container, said' container having a window comprising transparent sheet material containing cellulose acetate, said sheet 'material being saponified so that at least its inner 'or unexposed surface is capable of absorbing moisture and the sheet material as a whole being resistant to the penetration of water and gases. 5. A container for holding food and other products yielding moisture tending to condense within the container, said container having a window comprising transparent sheet material containing cellulose ester sheet material sap'oni fied at least on one surface thereof, which sheet material is characterized by being hard, resistant to the penetration of water and gases, of low water shrinkage and heat loss, of high tensile strength and having a fog resistance of 50 to15 0 seconds.

=76. A container for holding food and other products yielding moisture tending to condense within the container, said container having a window comprising transparent sheet material containing cellulose acetate sheet material saponified at least on one surface thereof, which sheet material is characterized by being hard, resistant to the penetration of water and gases; of low water shrinkage and heat loss, of high tensile strength and having a fog' resistance of 50 

